Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Ohhhh the Mini Thesis

!!
I am in my first week back to school and have began to start working on my mini-thesis research project thang. It is 50 pages so that it good and bad. I have not looked at the information in about 2 months so that makes it extremely difficult to remember what I was doing. Looks like I'm going to have to start over again by looking at all the journal articles and organizing them as I write them into tables. Not so much fun. I'm going to force myself to work on it 2 days a week for at least the first month and half of this term. Hopefully I will actually have some written with that plan!

On the health side- I returned to Montreal with an empty fridge and good intentions. I went grocery shopping and bought mostly produce. Made a yummy ginger beef/tofu stirfry which was nice. I need to make a whole wack of healthy stuff to freeze. That way when I am in peak stress zone I will not need to go to quick/easy/greasy. I just have no creativity in the cooking department... Hmm. What would be awesome, healthy and won't be tiresome after 2 meals?

I feel like this month and a half at the beginning of the term is the opportunity for me to get my act together. If I can just get stuff done now I will be much less stressed later... maybe? Probably not. Either way, I'm optimistic.

Saturday, January 07, 2012

A heya holla

Leaving for Montreal on Monday. I had a fabulous break and didn't do a bit of school work. I thought I would start writing my research project but I definitely needed the break from school. I am pretty excited for the courses I'm taking this term but anxious about living away from Danial again. Maybe this time will be easier? I think I just need to keep busy enough.

We are trying to decide whether or not to take a route that leaves us living on NB for a number of years or another that would take us to Kingston ON for some years. I am pretty comfortable here but we need to look ahead for our careers etc. If we stay here we would love to buy a house.... but this duplex rent is a pretty sweet deal.

This week I had many meetings with potential internship places. I am no closer to knowing where I will be working this summer but hope to get some news next week! Ultimately it is a decision between an amazing placement in my ideal work setting or a less amazing placement with high potential for getting hired on there right away. Time will tell I guess.

One thing that my time in Montreal has caused is a new found appreciation for the amazing people in my life. I am so lucky to have such great friends and family!

Monday, January 02, 2012

Dear 2011

Another year is over so let's look at where 2011 has left me:

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Moved to Montreal on my own
Attended grad school
Elections in school government


2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did ok for fitness but I think I will make it a new goal. Better diet! More exercise!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Micheline and Leigh


4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
Continued to explore Canada.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011.
Keep the good friends closer. Not stress about people who are ridiculous.


7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Girly chats with ladies from McGill because we were all in the same boat :)
March 30th getting accepted to grad school
July 2011 Jillia got married!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Living by myself for the first time.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being on top of eating healthy!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Stress is an illness.. right?

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Christian Cota boots!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Danial- for dealing with me when I was just a bundle of stress
All my friends who reached out to me since I moved away :)

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Having a hand put in my face was pretty appalling!

14. Where did most of your money go?
school

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Leaving Montreal for the holidays. Time with my hubby.


16. What songs will always remind you of 2011?
LMAFO, Nicki Minaj, Arcade Fire

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder but later happier
b) thinner or fatter? Maybe a bit fatter?
c) richer or poorer? Poorer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
focusing on school. Enjoying the moment.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Too much downloading!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it on PEI with my family

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
With my awesome buds!

22. How many one-night stands?
ZERO

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Gossip Girl, Dexter, True Blood.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No hating but definitely loss of respect for.

25.What was the best book you read?
Pretty Little Liars lol

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Arcade Fire, Sheepdogs

27. What did you want and get?
My own apartment.

28. What did you want and not get?
Perfect grades! Lame, yes.

29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Maybe Eclipse.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 25. Danial made me a wooden jewelery box. Went to the snooty fox with a bunch of buddies.

31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being less depressed in the fall.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Anything that does not cause dirty looks from the fashionistas of the streets in Montreal. But then there is my Snooky sequent hat.

33. What kept you sane?
DANIAL, mom, dad, Jillia, Micheline

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Lindsay Lohan Weird ey?

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Violence in relationships. Child protection.

36. Who did you miss?
Danial, good friends, the family, the furballs.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I don't have a best.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011?
Just because we had good times, doesn't mean we should have times in the present. Know when to realize who just isn't measuring up.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
'I like your beard' Ke$ha